Month: August 2017

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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the player transactions that have been going on since we last recorded. Free Agency and Player Signings are the big part of the news this time of year, every team is working hard to fill all of their vacant roster spots. We’ll have the details of all this and more, coming up next.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

· Jimmy Vesey 2.0: Defenseman Will Butcher, winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men’s hockey last season, will choose an NHL team Sunday. “I will be making my decision on Sunday with my family and my agent there with me,” Butcher said in an email to NHL.com on Thursday. Butcher’s agent, Brian Bartlett, said there are as many as four teams in the mix to sign him, including the Buffalo Sabres and Vegas Golden Knights. Butcher has two more visits scheduled this week before returning home to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on Saturday. “He’s in Denver now at the pro camp taking place at the University of Denver, so he hasn’t been with his family to sit down and talk about things,” Bartlett said. “The hope is we’ll sit down once he gets home and make a decision by Sunday because NHL rookie tournaments and camps are coming up pretty quick.” Butcher, 22, was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round (No. 123) of the 2013 NHL Draft but elected not to sign with them and became an unrestricted free agent Aug. 16. A college player has four years to sign with the team that drafts him before he can become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 16 of that fourth year. “He wants to play for team that really understands and believes in him as a player and what he can bring to an organization, so it’s weeding out the ones who just kind of want good players since every team needs good players,” Bartlett said. “The second part is which team has the opportunity and resources to give him the best chance to be a longtime professional player. We haven’t been demanding he make the team right out of [training] camp or have a roster spot. It’s about the process over the next couple of years.” Butcher had 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) in 43 games last season, his fourth at Denver. He was the Pioneers captain and helped them win the NCAA championship. He is the first defenseman to win the Hobey Baker Award since Matt Gilroy of Boston University in 2009, and the second player from Denver (Matt Carle, 2006).

· College free agent forward Alex Kerfoot signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. No financial terms were disclosed. The 23-year-old was a Hobey Baker Award finalist after scoring 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 36 games as captain for Harvard University last season. He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round (No. 150) of the 2012 NHL Draft. “We are thrilled that Alexander decided to sign with the Avalanche,” general manager Joe Sakic said. “He’s a highly-skilled, playmaking center who is responsible at both ends of the ice. We look forward to seeing him take the next step of his hockey career with our organization.” Kerfoot, who also considered the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, grew up in West Vancouver, British Columbia, and played for the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2011-13. Defenseman Will Butcher, who defeated Kerfoot for the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA Division I men’s hockey after a championship season with the University of Denver, remains a free agent with a list reportedly narrowed from 12 teams to four. Butcher decided to become a free agent rather than sign with the Avalanche, who selected him in the fifth round (No. 123) in the 2013 NHL Draft. The Avalanche finished last in the NHL in 2016-17 with a 22-56-4 record.

· Forwards Brady Tkachuk and Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Quinton Hughes were among the 42 United States-born players named Wednesday to participate in the 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Sept. 21. All players selected are eligible for the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas and were picked by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting. “This event provides some of the best U.S. players eligible for next year’s NHL draft the chance to showcase their talent on a national stage,” said Jim Johannson, USA Hockey assistant executive director of hockey operations. “With input from NHL Central Scouting, this game will feature future stars of the NHL, as over 120 alumni of the event have already been selected, including Buffalo’s recent first-round selections in Jack Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt.” Hughes, Tkachuk and Wahlstrom were among the participants in the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan, earlier this month. The camp serves as the first step in selecting the team that will play for the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo. Tkachuk (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), the son of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Keith Tkachuk and brother of Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, will be a freshman at Boston University. He had five points (one goal, four assists) in five games at the Summer Showcase, and 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-18 team last season. Wahlstrom (6-1, 198), who will play for the NTDP U-18 this season and is committed to Harvard University for the 2018-19 season, was one of 10 cuts by USA Hockey five days into the Summer Showcase but still made a major impression with his strong skating and tremendous shot. Hughes (5-9, 167) is a freshman at the University of Michigan. In five games at the Summer Showcase he had five points (two goals, three assists). The left-handed shot is an exceptional skater with good vision and skill. He had 53 points (10 goals, 43 assists) in 65 games for the NTDP U-18 team last season. Also selected for the game were defensemen Mattias Samuelsson (6-3, 205), the son of former NHL defenseman Kjell Samuelsson, and Adam Samuelsson (6-5, 230), the son of former NHL defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. Each will play for the NTDP U-18 team this season. Also selected was forward Jack Drury (5-11, 175) of Waterloo of the United States Hockey League. He is the nephew of U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and 12-year NHL veteran Chris Drury. Hockey Hall of Famers Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch will serve as coaches. GOALTENDERS: Drew DeRidder, USA U-18, USHL; Ben Kraws, Buffalo Jr. Sabres U18, USMAAAE; Jacob Kucharski, Des Moines, USHL; Jon Mor, USA U-18, USHL DEFENSEMEN: Michael Callahan, Bloomington, USHL; Stanislav Demin, Wenatchee, BCHL; Ty Emberson, USA U-18, USHL; Jordan Harris, Kimball Union, HIGH-NH; Quinton Hughes, University of Michigan, BIG10; Christian Krygier, Lincoln, USHL; Cole Krygier, Lincoln, USHL; K’Andre Miller, USA U-18, USHL; Alec Regula, Chicago, USHL; Adam Samuelsson, USA U-18, USHL; Mattias Samuelsson, USA U-18, USHL; Jacob Semik, Dubuque, USHL; Spencer Stastney, USA U-18, USHL; Bode Wilde, USA U-18, USHL FORWARDS: Braden Costello, Des Moines, USHL; Paul Cotter, Lincoln, USHL; Jack Drury, Waterloo, USHL; Joel Farabee, USA U-18, USHL; Jake Gricius, Portland, WHL; Jonathan Gruden, USA U-18, USHL; Gavin Hain, USA U-18, USHL; Curtis Hall, Youngstown, USHL; Jack Jensen, Eden Prairie, HIGH-MN; Philippe Lapointe, Lincoln, USHL; Blake McLaughlin, Chicago, USHL; Jaxon Nelson, Sioux Falls, USHL; Jay O’Brien, Thayer Academy, HIGH-MA; Ryan O’Reilly, Madison, USHL; Jackson Perbix, Elk River, HIGH-MN; Jacob Pivonka, USA U-18, USHL; Noah Prokop, Green Bay, USHL; Jack Randl, Omaha, USHL; Ryan Savage, Fargo, USHL; Colin Schmidt, Wayzata, HIGH-MN; Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, H-EAST; Oliver Wahlstrom, USA U-18, USHL; Tyler Weiss, USA U-18, USHL; Jake Wise, USA U-18, USHL

· New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac could miss the first four months of the season after having surgery Thursday to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. Zajac was injured during offseason training last week, and the Devils said his recovery is expected to take 4-6 months. Zajac, 32, had 45 points (14 goals, 31 assists) in 80 games last season. He has missed 20 games during the past five seasons.

· Former NHL coach and general manager Bryan Murray, who spent time with five teams in his career, died of colon cancer on August 12. He was 74. Murray was GM of the Detroit Red Wings (1990-94), Florida Panthers (1994-98), Anaheim Ducks (2001-04) and Ottawa Senators (2007-16), and coached the Washington Capitals (1981-90), Red Wings (1990-93), Panthers (1997-98), Ducks (2001-02) and Senators (2005-08). “Bryan Murray’s strength and character were reflected in the teams he coached and the teams he built over decades of front office excellence,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “While his warmth and dry sense of humor were always evident, they were accompanied by the fiery competitiveness and determination that were his trademarks. As we mourn Bryan’s passing, we celebrate his many contributions to the game — as well as his courage. The National Hockey League family sends our deepest condolences, comfort and support to Bryan’s family, his many friends and all whose lives he influenced.”

· Former NHL forward and NBC Sports hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk was diagnosed with colon cancer last week. “I have been working with outstanding health care professionals and expect to be back in the broadcast booth after I complete my treatment,” Olczyk said in a statement issued by the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. “Having the support and encouragement from my family, the Chicago Blackhawks organization, NBC Sports and all my friends and fans means the world to me and will give me continued strength to beat this. My family and I appreciate privacy during this time as we focus our attention on my treatments.” Olczyk, who turns 51 on Aug. 16, has been the in-game analyst for Blackhawks games on Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN-TV since the 2006-07 season. He was selected by the Blackhawks with the third pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, and played five seasons for Chicago from 1984-87 and 1998-2000. The Blackhawks team physician said Olczyk had a procedure to remove a tumor, is recovering well, and will receive further treatment, including chemotherapy. “Eddie Olczyk is a treasured member of the Chicago Blackhawks family and we will be supportive of him as he fights this disease,” president and CEO John McDonagh said. “We encourage our fans to keep him in their thoughts as we all look forward to having him back in good health as soon as possible.” Olczyk had 794 points (342 goals, 452 assists) in 1,031 games for the Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He coached the Penguins for two seasons between 2003-05, going 31-64-10 with eight ties. Olczyk has been the lead hockey analyst for NBC Sports since 2007, working regularly with play-by-play announcer Mike “Doc” Emrick. In the past two years, he also has worked Triple Crown and other major horse racing events for NBC.

· Tony Granato will coach the United States men’s ice hockey team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, USA Hockey announced Friday. The Olympics will be held Feb. 9-25.

· Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher announced his retirement from the NHL on August 3. Fisher, 37, made the announcement in a letter published by The Tennessean. The Predators captain had been debating whether to continue playing after the expiration of his contract last season. “This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but I know I’ve made the right one,” Fisher wrote. “This job I’ve been able to have for a majority of my life is so much fun. To help create that entertainment and to see the joy we can bring to people is such a unique and exciting opportunity. I’ll miss my teammates, my coaches and the game itself. Fisher, who was named captain after defenseman Shea Weber was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman P.K. Subban on June 29, 2016, had 585 points (276 goals, 309 assists) in 1,088 NHL games with the Predators and Ottawa Senators. He was Ottawa’s second-round pick (No. 44) in the 1998 NHL Draft.

· Coach John Tortorella signed a one-year contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets through the 2018-19 season on July 31. Tortorella, who was entering the final season of a three-year contract, is 84-57-16 since replacing Todd Richards on Oct. 21, 2015. He won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year for a second time after the Blue Jackets went 50-24-8 (108 points) last season, the best in their 17-year history.

· The Dallas Stars will mark their 25th anniversary this season. Hosting the 2018 NHL Draft certainly will be a nice finish to that year-long celebration. Dallas was awarded the draft, which will be held June 22 and 23 at American Airlines Center, on Saturday. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said their work building a hockey community was a catalyst for that decision.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.